Facile synthesis of a 3D magnetic graphene oxide/Fe3O4/banana peel-derived cellulose composite aerogel for the efficient removal of tetracycline

Abstract

Many initiatives have incorporated graphene oxide (GO) and biomass into aerogels for wastewater treatment. We report on the facile fabrication of a magnetic GO/Fe₃O₄/banana peel-derived cellulose (bio-cellulose) aerogel using an ultrasound-assisted mechanical mixing method and freeze-drying technique for the removal of tetracycline (TC). The component materials and composite aerogel were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The effects of solution pH and adsorbent dose on the adsorption performance of the synthesized adsorbents were investigated. The adsorption behavior at the equilibrium of the GO/Fe₃O₄/bio-cellulose aerogel was studied and analyzed using four well-known non-linear models: Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, and Temkin. The results showed that the experimental data fitted well with the Freundlich and Sips isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity achieved from the Sips model was 238.7 mg g⁻¹. The adsorption kinetics were studied and proved to follow the Elovich kinetic model with an initial rate of 0.89 g g⁻¹ min⁻¹. These results confirm the favorable adsorption of TC on the heterogeneous surface that exhibits a wide range distribution of adsorption energies of the desired GO/Fe₃O₄/bio-cellulose aerogel. The experimental findings demonstrate that the aerogel possesses the notable features of environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and comparatively high TC adsorption capacity. Therefore, utilizing biomass to develop the structure of the magnetic GO-based composite aerogel is significantly promising for antibiotic-containing wastewater treatments.